Udhayanidhi Stalin demands judicial inquiry into killing of three Tamils by Karnataka forest officials
Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Udhayanidhi Stalin, on Tuesday demanded a high-level judicial inquiry into the killing of three Tamils by personnel of the Karnataka Forest Department. He made the demand during a session in Chennai, arguing that an inquiry by the Karnataka State Police would not be impartial.
The three men – Antonysamy, John Rose Peter, and Kumar – were killed in an alleged exchange of fire with forest officials in Karnataka. Mr. Udhayanidhi said the post-mortem report clearly established that they had been brutally murdered. “According to the post-mortem report, the three had been tortured before being shot at point-blank range. Their ribs had been broken,” he said.
Mr. Udhayanidhi also questioned whether the Tamil Nadu government had written to Karnataka seeking an explanation for the incident. He asked whether Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay had expressed his condemnation when he met his Karnataka counterpart, D.K. Shivakumar, who had visited Tamil Nadu a few days earlier. He further said that the Chief Minister or his Cabinet colleagues should have visited the families of the victims.
“The government should take steps to get justice for the families and provide them with financial and legal assistance,” Mr. Udhayanidhi said. He stressed that a high-level judicial inquiry, rather than an investigation by the Karnataka State Police, was necessary to ensure truth and accountability.
Speaker J.C.P. Prabhakar said the House would hold an elaborate discussion on the subject once the Ministers were ready with a proper reply. He noted that the Law Minister and Forest Minister had already responded to the issue earlier. The Speaker’s remarks came as opposition members pressed for a detailed debate on the matter.
The killing of the three Tamils has sparked concern in Tamil Nadu, with many demanding a thorough and independent investigation. While Karnataka forest officials have maintained that the incident occurred during an exchange of fire, the post-mortem findings cited by Mr. Udhayanidhi have raised serious questions about the circumstances of the deaths.
This is not the first such incident involving Tamil civilians and forest officials in Karnataka. Previous cases have led to tensions between the two states, with families of the deceased seeking justice and compensation. However, details of this specific incident remain limited, and official reports from Karnataka have not been made public.
In his address, Mr. Udhayanidhi also called for a clear policy to prevent such tragedies in the future. He urged the Tamil Nadu government to take up the matter strongly with the Karnataka government and at the central level if necessary. He also sought legal and financial support for the families of the victims.
The demand for a judicial inquiry reflects broader concerns about accountability in cases involving state forces. Judicial inquiries are often seen as more independent than police investigations, especially when allegations of torture and extrajudicial killing are involved. The Tamil Nadu government has not yet announced its response to Mr. Udhayanidhi’s request.
Meanwhile, political parties in Tamil Nadu have expressed solidarity with the victims’ families. Some have called for a joint investigation by both states, while others have demanded compensation and action against the officials responsible. The issue is likely to be taken up again in the Assembly, with the Speaker indicating that a detailed discussion will be held once the ministers are prepared to respond.
